Device to train a dental patient to open and close his lower jaw in his terminal hinge position



June 25, 1957 R QHEN DEVICE TO TRAIN A DENTAL PATIENT T0 OPEN AND CLOSEHIS LOWER JAW IN HIS TERMINAL HINGE POSITION Filed NOV. 29, 1955 IN VENTOR.

@4r/fono Cof/w Arrow/Vey United States PatentO DEVICE TO TRAIN A DENTALPATIENT TO OPEN AND CLOSE HIS LOWER JAW IN HIS TERMINAL HINGE POSITIONRaymond Cohen, Long Beach, N. Y.

Application November 29, 1955, Serial No. 549,723

Claims. (Cl. 12s-303) This invention relates to a device for retrudingthe lower jaw.

It has been found in the field of dentistry that there is an idealposition that the mandible (lower jaw) should assume in relation to themaxilla (upper jaw) when a persons teeth, either natural or false, areoccluded. It would, therefore, be advantageous to have a patientsmandible in the proper position when making a registration of thisimportant phase of occlusal reconstruction. Registrations are commonlymade by having the patient bite into a piece of heat softened wax. Thewax is allowed to harden and is then removed.

The mandible is in its relatively ideal position in the final phase ofclosure of the teeth when the head of the condyle of the mandible isseated as far as it will go into the glenoid fossa of the temporal bone,by its own muscular power. It is only in this position that the mandibleis capable of a pure hinge movement.

By means of the apparatus embodying this invention it is possible totrain the patient to open and close in a pure hinge movement. This isdone by having the patient wear the device and have him open and closewithout letting his teeth meet for a period of at least ten minutes. Thedevice is then removed and it is a simple matter to direct the patientto open and close in his terminal hinge position. At this time a waxrecording is made of the relative maxilla mandibular position.

It is an object of this invention to provide a highly improved devicewhich shall include spring meansA to hold a jaw under tension so thatcontinued lopening and closing of the jaw would train the patient toopen and close in his terminal hinge position.

It is an object then of this invention to provide a highly improveddevice of the character described including spring means to hold a jawunder tension so that continued opening and closing of the jaw wouldrender the muscles of mastication 4in a state of fatigue.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dev-ice for the purposedescribed, that may be worn portably, will work independently ofexternal power or furniture, Will fit securely to a variety of dierentsized people, be comfortable and easy to adjust.

Another object of this invent-ion is to provide an improved shouldermounting means for a device of the kind described.

Other objects of this invention will in part beobvious and in parthereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arnangement of parts, which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which thescope of invention will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown various illustrativeembodiments of this invention,

Fig. l is a side elevational view which illustrates a man wearing thedevice of the invention;

A 2,796,866 Patented June 25, -1957 Fig. 2 is a partial perspective viewof a device embodying the invention;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section down the center of the device;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the cup shaped chin sling and tensionmeans portion of the device with the sling llattened;

Fig. 5 is a cross-section taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, Fig. 2 shows the device 10embodying the invention and having a shoulder brace 11 at the basethereof. The brace 11 comprises a metal plate 11a having a long at midportion 12 adapted to contact the back of the patient, curving upslightly |at the ends and formed with a forwardly curving lip 13 at eachend adapted for hooking over the shoulder of the patient. Each lip hooksover a shoulder while the broad, at mid portion 12 rests along the back,as shown in the drawing.

The brace may be made of metal or any other suitable material, and maybe provided with a soft inner liner pad 14 of leather or any otherresilient material, riveted or otherwise attached to the metal part 11aas at 14a. The leather liner preferably extends beyond the outer edgesof the metal piece.

Attached vertically to the brace at the mid portion thereof is anelongated flat bracket 15 secured thereto by rivets 16, 4or othersuitable fastening means. The shoulder brace and vertical bracket may beformed as one piece if desired. The bracket 15 comprises a part 15awhich rises at a forward and upward angle rearwardly of the shoulderbrace to allow for the curvature of the back, and a vertical portion 15bextending therefrom and located at the back of the head, as shown inFigs. l and 3. The vertical bracket extends only to a point aboutear-level.

A second vertical bracket 17 of T shape has a central leg 17a which isattached for vertical adjustment to portion 15b or bar or bracket 15 byhaving a slot 18 formed therein engaged by a bolt 19 passing through anopening in said portion 15b and wing nut 19a secured to the bolt. Arivet 20 fixed to portion 15b and entering slot 18 holds the bracket 17against rotation of the bolt 19.

Attached to the upper end of leg 17 as by rivets 26, is the center of acurved head engaging member 21 having wings 21a, 2lb and forming the topof the T-shaped bracket 17. Padding 23 may be applied to the front faceof head engaging member 21. A strap 24 is aixed to one wing 2lb of theT-shaped head bracket, and a buckle 25 is axed to the other wing 21a.Their use will be hereinafter described.

Attached by means of said rivets 26 to the rear of the upper end of leg17a is a flat, elongated bar 27 extending beyond said wings 21a, 2lb.Bar 27 may be made of a resilient metal. The ends of the :bar 27 areformed with forwardly bent tabs 28 each having a hole 29 therein; Abuckle 30 on a strap 31 is riveted to each of the holes 29 by means ofgrommets 32.

A strap 33 is threaded through each buckle 30. The forward lends of thestraps 33 are riveted to coil springs 34 by rivets 35. The lcoil springs34 are of a length of wire coiled through its body and looped on theends. The rearward loop 36 of each spring receives the rivet 35 tofasten it to one of the straps 33. The forward loop 37 yof each coil.spring 34 is extended by a straight length of vwire 38, away from thecoiled body of the spring. A :tubular sleeve 39 formed with `a flatportion 40, encases each of the springs 34. The open Iend of the case 39extends a short length past the spring to cover part of the strap 33.'Ihe attened end received the loop 37 al1-d straight portion 38 of thespring 34 therewithin.

A chin sling 41 is provided with each end 42 thereof saidfloop,whereby-the spring,- Vcase` and chin' slingg-are fastened together. Thepurpose of the springandfcase will beihereinafterJ explained.V Y

The chinsling may be made of leather, or any other suitable material.The' slingV may' be made with a front piece 45 of-an elongatedovalshape.Two separate-pieces 46 and 47, each forming half the shape of theVfrontpiece', may be'sewn-thereto-for reinforcing and toaid in shapingthe sling to the chincurye, A piece 48 may` cover the'seam between thepieoe'46landthe piece 47.

The method of use may now be seen. The deviceflilfis fittedto-thepatientbyv resting theshoulder brace midportion-12 against theback, with eachvforward lip'13 over 'af-shoulder. The h "ead'v brace assembly is`adusted `for height-by means ofthe Wingnut l19, 19: in the slot 18. Thehead brace-.member 21 rests against the head in a comfortable position.iThe -stra-p 24- 1is passed around the forehead and buckled to the buckleassembly 25. This operation secures the device tothe head. The chinsling |isthen strapped to the chin from the bar 27 by the straps 33provided. Downward or forward motion of the jaw will stretch-the springs34-which connect the chin sling to the straps,. thus putting a degree oitension on the jaw determined by the tensile strength of the springs 34.The ends of bar 27 extend beyond the. head brace Wings 21a, 21b1 inorderato spreadY the. springs yaway xfrom the face. However, the cases39 are also provided to protect thevpatient frombeing pinched bycontractions of the spring.

The device is appliedVtoV a patient for about'ten to twenty minutesbefore` the dentist records `theV jaw to jaw relationship. The patientopens` and closes his mouth continuously. This exercise sutlicientlyVfatiguesV the. muscles as to render the patients jaws inyasuitablyrelated position for corrective Work to beperformed by thedentist.

It may be seen that aidevice -has been provided which accomplishesetheseve-ralobjects of-this invention, which is safe, comfortable,portable and etiicient to a high. degree in use.

As various possible embodiments might besmade of the aboveinvention,andasvarious changesmight berna-de in the 'embodimentl above set forth,itis to beunderstood that; all matter; hereinz setY forthjor shown theVaccompanying drawings-is to be` interpreted as ,illustrativeand not in alimitingsense;

HavingA thus described my 'inventionl claimas new and desire to secure`by Letters Patent:

1. AV shoulder brace havin-g a broad mid-portion conv mid-portion,A andforwardlycurved lip portions exten-ding from said wing portions adaptedto tit a pair of shoulders, an elongated bracket formedwith a` centralportionattached to the mid-portion of said shoulder brace and risingvertically therefrom, a second bracket having an elongated verticalportion adjustably mounted on said first bracket yin alignmenttherewith, a curved head engaging portion formed at the upper end of thesecond bracket, a strap fastened to one end of said curved portion ofsaid Vsecond bracket, an adjustable means forV fastening the' free-endof saidstrap to the remaining end. of said curved portion of said secondbracket, and'resilient means mounted on-the secondbracket for gripping achin, said means for gripping the chin comprising ahorizontal Ibaryattache-d," to the-realmid-portion of thesaid Second bracket, saidbarrhaving adjustable,straps-attached at the ends thereof, anda chinsling attached yby resilient means to said straps.

2. The combination of claim 1, said resilient means comprised of a pairof coil springs, and a pair of ilexible cases covering said coilsprings, Y

3. The combination of claim 1, said chin sling-comprisingatsubstantiallyy elongated oval of leather linedA with a pair ofsimilarlyshape-dpieces,` each substantially half the saidoval and`seamed. ati the center with a small piece said thirdv brace being lofanelongated shape-with ends` disposedhorizontallybeyond the second saidbrace, a pair of strap members attac-hedone to each end of said thirdbrace, a-chin engaging means, and a pair of coveredspringsdnterconnecting theV chin engaging means and said pair ofstra-p.rnembers.-` n Y 5. A device for iti-ring thejaw muscles` of apatient, comprising-a shoulderfengaagingy member, a memberadapted tojengage theback of a head, said members being adjustably interconnected,a strap attached to the head-engaging memberj and adapted to encirclethe head of a rpatient, a member fixed to lthe rear of the head-engagingmember and having outwardly extending wings disposed outwardly beyondand Arearwardly of the forward ends of the head-engaging member, 4 achin-engaging device, and resilient meansrconnecting saidchin engagingdevice with said wings.

ReferencesfCitedin the tileof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

